I'm sorry for how long this took to update. It took a while, I know. But I've got the update now!

Shadow and Knuckles trailed Sonic, staying far enough away that he wouldn't hear their pursuit. The battle that had just gone down confused both of them; they thought attacking was out of the question. So why was G.U.N. disobeying orders they had given in the first place? "It seems like the terms have changed," Shadow murmured.

"So what's the plan, Shadow? Wait for Rouge or attack now?" Knuckles said, glancing sideways.

Shadow shook his head. "Wait it out. I want to see where this hedgehog is heading…."

Sonic had been running in the same direction for a while now, and it seemed he had a destination in mind. But as of right now, they had no clues to what that destination might be. Other than maybe the killer's location.

Shadow looked at Knuckles. He would have thought the echidna would be exhausted after hours of running at this speed, but a look of dedicated determination remained on his face without even a sign of sweat. Maybe Knuckles deserved more credit than Shadow had ever thought to give him. Knuckles's friend was being destroyed by the anger within himself, and Knuckles seemed to be willing to do anything to save him. Even at speeds where they had to keep up with the insane supersonic hedgehog.

Shadow heard a sound behind them and glanced back. Rouge quickly glided through the trees that they had just run through so she could catch up to her team. "About time," Shadow muttered.

Rouge's expression did not change which surprised Shadow. No come back, no exasperation, no anything. Just stony neutrality. What was going on? Knuckles asked, "What did they say?"

Rouge slipped in between the two, speeding through the air as they made their way on the ground. "We have permission to attack and capture," she said evenly.

"What?" Knuckles said, surprised. "What changed?"

Shadow tried to read Rouge's face. Something was off. The two of them had been partners in G.U.N. too long for him not to notice. She was being much too quiet, much too neutral. "Rouge, what did Sonic do?"

"He killed her," Rouge said plainly.

"Huh?" Knuckles blinked twice.

"Sonic killed Amy. He's not searching for the murderer; he is the murderer."

Even Shadow had to struggle to mask his surprise. Sonic was the murderer? But then none of any of this made any sense. Shadow thought of Amy and what Sonic meant to her, what she must have meant to him.

She meant something to him, correct? He always came to her rescue, dealt with her daily. That meant something, did it not? Or did Shadow have it wrong? But even then, Sonic would never have killed someone. It was not in his nature.

Unless Amy had suddenly become some sort of villain, and no one had ever realized, with the exception of Sonic. Maybe she had betrayed them all a long time ago, and Sonic had only been trying to stop her.

Or what if it was in Sonic's nature, but he had been hiding it all along? Maybe he really was a murderous hedgehog masquerading as a heroic do-gooder.

Any and all options flew into Shadow's mind like an army's onslaught. There had to be one reason where everything fit. If Sonic was a murderer, there had to be a reason. Unless he was not a killer at all. But it was not Shadow's job to decide; it was his job to act for G.U.N. It was the one reason he had allowed Rouge to force him into this job: he did not have to think about right and wrong.

Knuckles just stared at Rouge, almost frozen in his shock. "…no…he wouldn't do that. He's not like that."

Rouge stared straight ahead, seemingly unable to meet any eyes. "I know, honey; I don't get it either. They had a witness, but I don't believe it for a second. Either way…we need to know for sure." Rouge paused. "Or else Tails may never trust him again."

"You told Tails?"

Rouge glared at Knuckles hard, actually making Knuckles wince. "He was there when the info came out. He's just a kid, and now he thinks his hero is really the villain. I don't know what to tell him, but we have orders to follow right now."

"And those are…?" Shadow said, raising an eyebrow.

Rouge glanced at him, and Shadow saw the pain in her eyes. That shocked him; Rouge was stronger than this. "To render him helpless so G.U.N. can capture him."

Shadow returned his gaze to the world in front of him. He said nothing in response to Rouge's directions. Instead, without warning, he rushed ahead of his partners to pursue the blue renegade. While still at a distance, it seemed Sonic had heard Shadow's approach. He sent a glance over his shoulder, and Shadow caught a look at Sonic's wide eyes. Fear? He deserved it for what he had done. That is, if he had done it. There was no time for uncertainty now. For now, Sonic was guilty. Shadow sped up, urging longer strides out of his legs, quicker movements from his feet. "Chaos Spear," Shadow said, just quiet enough that Sonic could not hear it over the rush of the wind in his ears.

The yellow light burst from Shadow's palm and struck Sonic in the back. With a strained cry, Sonic was sent airborne several yards before his journey ended with his face down in the dirt. But he quickly stood once again, sending his fearful eyes toward Shadow. This fear was something beyond Shadow; no look like this had ever been on Sonic's face before.

But he did not do what Shadow expected. Instead, Sonic began his dash in the same direction once more. Shadow burst off after him without a second thought. He performed the same attack again, but Sonic felt it coming and quickly drew himself into a somersault to dash forward. Shadow's attack struck the ground harmlessly.

As Sonic uncurled himself to resume regular running form, Shadow's eye caught a glimmer in Sonic's hand. The Chaos Emerald. Shadow threw himself forward, knowing perfectly well Sonic's intentions. He slammed into the back of the escapee, throwing him to the ground. "Get off, Shadow," Sonic growled. But within the growl was an aching whine. A plea.

Shadow said nothing, although shocked by Sonic's desperation. Knuckles and Rouge would catch up soon enough, and Sonic would be brought into G.U.N. custody.

And then Sonic kicked Shadow in the stomach with the leg Shadow had neglected to hold down. Shadow doubled over, and Sonic managed to slip away. Shadow shook his head, struggling to get to his feet after such an unexpected attack. As he opened his eyes that had automatically closed upon the strike of the attack, he found himself staring at the green Chaos Emerald lying abandoned on the ground. Shadow's fingers wrapped around it, his mouth already muttering, "Chaos Control."

Light enveloped him, sending him through time and space in the time of a blink. The next thing Shadow knew, he stood in front of Sonic the Hedgehog. "What?" Sonic cried, trying to skid to a stop.

Shadow threw out his fist, landing a blow in Sonic's stomach. Now it was Sonic's turn to double over in a fight for oxygen. But he had no time for recovery as Shadow swung his foot to strike Sonic in the side. Sonic was thrown from his feet and sent flying.

Rouge was gliding up in the distance with Knuckles running in pace with her. Shadow took a few steps toward the place Sonic laid on the ground. He stood over him, a shadow being cast over Sonic's blue fur as Sonic tried to recover from the attacks that had sent him into the dirt. Sonic's eyes stared up at Shadow, still wide, but less with fear now. Instead, desperation shone in those irises. His breathing came in wheezes, and words could not find their way to his mouth immediately. Shadow said, "We're done here."

No cocky smile, no attitude. Just four words he managed to gasp: "I'm not done yet."

Shadow didn't move, waiting to see if Sonic got to his feet. Even if he did, Shadow was not afraid. He tightened his grip on the Chaos Emerald in his hand.

Sonic breathed heavily on the ground, clutching his side. He stared up at Shadow with resolution. A ring ejected from a weird device around Sonic's arm, and the hedgehog snatched it to hold tightly in his hand. What? Shadow wondered before realizing this should go no farther.

He took a step closer to Sonic, but it was too late. Sonic spun quickly and dashed straight as Shadow. The impact sent Shadow flying backward, and when gravity brought him back down, he hit the ground hard. But he was only down a second before he jumped up again. However, as he regained his ground, he saw Knuckles throwing a punch at Sonic's face. "Traitor!" the echidna screamed with no doubt left in him. Why? Shadow had no idea except the knowledge that Knuckles could be gullible.

But he had been so doubtful of Sonic's treachery before. Things must have changed in those few minutes. Knuckles wanted to know, and until he did, he would do everything he could to stop Sonic, for the sake of taking precautions.

Sonic took a flying stride back to avoid the punch. "What are you talking about?" Sonic yelled. "I have to go, NOW!"

His speed was at a much higher level with that glowing ring in his hand, but that did not stop Knuckles for one instant. He just threw another punch. And another. And another. He left no room for explanation; it was as though he believed Sonic did not deserve to explain himself, as though it was already too late.

"I don't have time for this!" Sonic said, trying to reason with him. "I have to go!"

Knuckles kept going…and going…and going. Fury burned too deep; his mind was too far gone for compromising. Nothing would stop him. Shadow did not even bother getting involved anymore.

And then, when Knuckles was in the middle of another punch through the air in front of Sonic's face, Sonic turned and with a burst of speed, fled.

The Chaos Emerald glowed brightly as Shadow prepared to send himself to Sonic's speeding position. That is, until Rouge grabbed Shadow's arm. "What?" he spat, turning on her.

"He's going somewhere, and I want to know where. It could be…interesting…"

Knuckles, though yards away, yelled, "This is not the time for INTERESTING! Sonic needs to be STOPPED, NOW!"

Rouge shook her head as she let go of Shadow's arm, and Shadow himself was surprised by how quickly Rouge had reverted to her usual character after the realization that Sonic was a murderer. "Well G.U.N. is going to have to wait. Anyway, who knows? G.U.N. might be wrong."

Shadow shook his head. "There's no time for that." The Emerald glowed brightly, still ready for use. "Chaos Control!"

Shadow sent himself to Sonic's most probable location, but a quick scan found that the blur was no where in sight. He sent himself toward another possible location without any more success. Shadow tightened his fist and gritted his teeth, before sending himself back to the location of Rouge and Knuckles. "He's gone," Shadow reported. "We may have lost our chance, Rogue, due to your curiosity."

Rouge shrugged. Knuckles was not at all satisfied with this reaction. He took a step toward her. "He already killed Amy! Who knows what he's going to do next?"

"He's your best friend; do you really believe that?"

Knuckles blinked, his jaw dropping. "What?"

"I do," Shadow muttered.

Rouge rolled her eyes. "Listen, Knuckles. Would Sonic really kill anyone? Did you ever think someone might have set him up?"

That thought had never even crossed Shadow's mind and, judging by the look on Knuckles's face, neither had he. "A trap?" The anger returned to Knuckles's face, but the fury had a new source. "Someone set it up!"

Shadow shrugged. "So we let him go then? When he could still be the killer?"

Rouge frowned. "Now, I never said that we'd let him go. We still have to get him to G.U.N. But—" Her smile returned. "—it doesn't mean we can't cut him a little slack."